France: Syria action would 're-balance' situation

In this citizen journalism image provided by The Syrian Revolution against Bashar Assad which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, a Syrian military tank caught on fire during clashes with Free Syrian army fighters in Joubar a suburb of Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013. The United States is considering launching a punitive strike against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, blamed by the U.S. and the Syrian opposition for an Aug. 21 alleged chemic
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In this citizen journalism image provided by The Syrian Revolution against Bashar Assad which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, a Syrian military tank caught on fire during clashes with Free Syrian army fighters in Joubar a suburb of Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013. The United States is considering launching a punitive strike against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, blamed by the U.S. and the Syrian opposition for an Aug. 21 alleged chemic
/ AP

This Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013 citizen journalism image provided by Aleppo Media Center AMC which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows damaged residential buildings due to clashes between Free Syrian army fighters and government forces in Aleppo, Syria. The United States is considering launching a punitive strike against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, blamed by the U.S. and the Syrian opposition for an Aug. 21 alleged chemical weapons attack in a — AP

This Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013 citizen journalism image provided by Aleppo Media Center AMC which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows damaged residential buildings due to clashes between Free Syrian army fighters and government forces in Aleppo, Syria. The United States is considering launching a punitive strike against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, blamed by the U.S. and the Syrian opposition for an Aug. 21 alleged chemical weapons attack in a
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Venezuelans of Arab descent hold up photographs of Syria's late President Hafez Assad, father of Syria's current President Bashar Assad, right, and Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, left, outside the U.S. embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Sept. 2, 2013. The demonstrators are protesting any military action in Syria by the U.S. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)— AP

Venezuelans of Arab descent hold up photographs of Syria's late President Hafez Assad, father of Syria's current President Bashar Assad, right, and Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, left, outside the U.S. embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Sept. 2, 2013. The demonstrators are protesting any military action in Syria by the U.S. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
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A girl with the Syrian flag painted on her cheek attends a demonstration by adults protesting any military action in Syria by the U.S., outside the U.S. embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Sept. 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)— AP

A girl with the Syrian flag painted on her cheek attends a demonstration by adults protesting any military action in Syria by the U.S., outside the U.S. embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Sept. 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
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Syrian refugees arrive at the Turkish Cilvegozu gate border, Monday, Sept. 2, 2013. Routine prevailed at a US-Turkish airbase in southern Turkey on Monday, a day after the US alleged that sarin gas was used in an August chemical weapons attack in Syria. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)— AP

Syrian refugees arrive at the Turkish Cilvegozu gate border, Monday, Sept. 2, 2013. Routine prevailed at a US-Turkish airbase in southern Turkey on Monday, a day after the US alleged that sarin gas was used in an August chemical weapons attack in Syria. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
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President Barack Obama, flanked by House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, left, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks to media in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, before a meeting with members of Congress to discuss the situation in Syria. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)— AP

President Barack Obama, flanked by House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, left, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks to media in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, before a meeting with members of Congress to discuss the situation in Syria. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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FILE -- This file photo, taken on Friday Dec. 2, 2005, released by Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd., shows an Arrow missile being launched at an undisclosed location in Israel. Israel and the U.S. conducted a joint missile test over the Mediterranean on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, an apparent display of military prowess as the Obama administration seeks congressional support for strikes against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. A Sparrow missile was launched successfully at 9:15 a.m. and— AP

FILE -- This file photo, taken on Friday Dec. 2, 2005, released by Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd., shows an Arrow missile being launched at an undisclosed location in Israel. Israel and the U.S. conducted a joint missile test over the Mediterranean on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, an apparent display of military prowess as the Obama administration seeks congressional support for strikes against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. A Sparrow missile was launched successfully at 9:15 a.m. and
/ AP

FILE -- This file photo, taken on Friday Dec. 2, 2005, released by Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd., shows an Arrow missile being launched at an undisclosed location in Israel. Israel and the U.S. conducted a joint missile test over the Mediterranean on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, an apparent display of military prowess as the Obama administration seeks congressional support for strikes against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. A Sparrow missile was launched successfully at 9:15 a.m. an— AP

FILE -- This file photo, taken on Friday Dec. 2, 2005, released by Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd., shows an Arrow missile being launched at an undisclosed location in Israel. Israel and the U.S. conducted a joint missile test over the Mediterranean on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, an apparent display of military prowess as the Obama administration seeks congressional support for strikes against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. A Sparrow missile was launched successfully at 9:15 a.m. an
/ AP

Children walk past tents of a Syrian refugees camp in Yayladagi, Turkey, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013. The civil war in Syria has forced over 2 million people out of the country and over 4 million others are displaced within its borders, making Syrians the nation with the largest number of people torn from their homes, U.N. officials said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)— AP

Children walk past tents of a Syrian refugees camp in Yayladagi, Turkey, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013. The civil war in Syria has forced over 2 million people out of the country and over 4 million others are displaced within its borders, making Syrians the nation with the largest number of people torn from their homes, U.N. officials said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
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France's President Francois Hollande waits prior to welcome German President Joachim Gauck, prior to a meeting, at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013. The German head of state is in France for a three-day state visit. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)— AP

France's President Francois Hollande waits prior to welcome German President Joachim Gauck, prior to a meeting, at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013. The German head of state is in France for a three-day state visit. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
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In this citizen journalism image provided by the United media office of Arbeen which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, Syrians pray during the funeral of a man killed from a shell in Arbeen town, a suburb of Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013. (AP Photo/United media office of Arbeen)— AP

In this citizen journalism image provided by the United media office of Arbeen which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, Syrians pray during the funeral of a man killed from a shell in Arbeen town, a suburb of Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013. (AP Photo/United media office of Arbeen)
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PARIS 
France's government offers a preview Wednesday of what the Obama administration faces next week, as lawmakers debate the wisdom and necessity of a military response to a chemical weapons attack in Syria that killed hundreds.

Shoring up support for a military response, French officials said a punitive military response would help shift the balance in a 2 1/2-year-old civil war that was tipping in favor of Bashar Assad.

"If you want a political solution you have to move the situation. If there's no sanction, Bashar Assad will say `that's fine, I'll continue what I'm doing,'" France's foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, told France Info radio Wednesday morning, hours ahead of the debate.

As the Obama administration worked to build its own support ahead of the Congress vote, the U.S. and Israel conducted a joint missile test Tuesday in the eastern Mediterranean in an apparent signal of military readiness. In the operation, a missile was fired from the sea toward the Israeli coast to test the tracking by the country's missile defense system.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin, one of Assad's most vocal supporters, warned the West against taking one-sided action in Syria, although he told The Associated Press that Russia had frozen new shipments to Syria of an air defense missile system.

There's a major difference between the French debate and the one coming up on Capitol Hill: President Francois Hollande has an easy majority in the French parliament, and he neither needs nor - unlike President Barack Obama - wants their vote of approval. But with the prospect of military action against Assad facing dwindling support internationally, the government has been building its case.

The U.S. and France accuse the Syrian government of using chemical weapons in an Aug. 21 attack on rebel-held suburbs of Damascus that killed hundreds of people. Obama and Hollande are pushing for a military response to punish Assad for his alleged use of poison gas against civilians - though U.S. officials say any action will be limited in scope, not aimed at helping to remove Assad.

Putin said Russia "doesn't exclude" supporting a U.N. resolution on punitive military strikes if it is proved that Damascus used poison gas on its own people, but he questioned the proofs released by Britain, the United States and France as part of their efforts to build international support.

Any proof needs to go before the Security Council, Putin told The Associated Press. "And it ought to be convincing. It shouldn't be based on some rumors and information obtained by special services through some kind of eavesdropping, some conversations and things like that."

Fabius, the French foreign minister, said Syria would certainly come up at this week's G-20 meeting in Russia.

"We will discuss with the Russians, because they are an important player in the region. Up until now they've been blocking things. If there's been an evolution that would be very desirable," Fabius said.

On Tuesday, the White House won backing for military action from two powerful Republicans - House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner and House majority leader Eric Cantor.